Slicing machine



March 10, 1931- w. .1. CAMPBELL SLIGING mcnmm Original Filed April 13;. 1928- Z 0% T a o m m Wm Im Z which are being cut.

Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAIM J. CAMPBELL, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SLIG- ING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SLICING MACHINE Original application filed April 13, 1928, Serial No. 269,684. Divided and this application filed February 18, 1929'. Serial No. 340,752.

My invention relates to a slicing machine and particularly to a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means for driving it, of the type wherein a work supporting carriage is provided and means for guiding it across the face of the knife One object of my invention is to furnish a support for the slices The presence of such a support, which holds the slice in the plane of the larger piece from which it is cut, insures a uniform and efficient severance of the slices'from the piece, prevents ragged slices, and prevents slices from being partially severed. A clear, complete cut is insured. Another object of my invention is to prevent the slices from falling into the space between the gauge plate and the carriage, and to insure that each slice cut shall pass through the space between gauge plate and knife to the trough or receiving means. Other objccts will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

The present application is a division of my application No. 269,684, filed on April 13,

1928 and upon which issued United States Patent No. 1,707,654 of April 2, 1929.

I illustrate my invention more or'less dia grammatically in the ings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1; and I v Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2. I I 1 I Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

A indicates any suitable slicing machine base member having the ground engaging supports or studs A B generally indicates any suitable housing member or body upwardly projecting therefrom having associated therewith a face plate B normally fixed in position and a gauge plate B which accompanying drawmay be moved toward and away from the plane'of the knife as for example by rotation of the knob B e I do-not-wi'sh to be limited to any particularmeans for imparting movement to the gauge plate but I have herein shown lugs B on-the rear of the'gauge plate, levers or arms pivoted thereto, themselves pivoted as at B", a gear B 'associatecl with one of said levers and a worm B in mesh therewith and actuated by the knob B C indicates the knife, it being herein shown as recessed in its forward face as at'C in order to permit the peripheral portion C to project outwardly into and slightly beyond the planes of the face plate B It will be understood that the axis of the knife, in the form herein shown, lies in a generally horizontal plane but is tilted slightly from perpendicularity to the face plate B in order to throw one edge of the knife forwardly-into the plane of said face plate.

D generally indicates a guide track, herein shown as cylindrical, and mounted at its ends upon the supports D Beneath it is a supplemental track D herein shown as of rectangular cross-section. D indicates a carriage slidable along the track D, provided with a. downward extension D formed to surround the track 1) and thus to prevent rotation of the carriage D about the track D. D is any suitable material carrying tray positioned upon the carriage D Unless the gauge plate B is adjusted so far forward as to lie practicallyin the plane of the cutting edge of the knife C there will be a space between the gauge plate and the carriage plate D. If this space is left open, bits or slices of material may under some circumstances drop therethrough instead of passing through the space between the knife edge C and the opposed ar'cuatc edge of the gauge plate. In order to render this impossible and to insure that all of the gauge plate and is secured to the face thereof. Adjacent the knife edge the gauge plate is cut away or slotted as at G and positioned to register with th e slot is a fixed meat support G mounted on any suitable bracket or pedestal Gd. T'he' upper surface Gr of the support G may be slightly above the level of the upper surface of the angle G, in order that it may register closely with the level of the carriage D, as shown in Figure 3. Itis in general importantthat'the support G should closely approach the edge and rear of the edge of the knife and I therefore provide adjusting means, for example the screwsG and the slots (i foreitecting whatever adjustment is necessary to maintain the support properly positionedin relation to the knife and knife edge.

The edge ofthe meat support 1spreferahly inclined or beveled as at G in orderto prevent any stoppage or interference of the work or slice as-it' crosses over and upon the support G The meat support G is always up against-the edge of the carriage and sup ports the slice and prevent-sany particle or fringe or portion of the slice from dropping down between the carriage and the knife. The angle G. on the gaugeplate serves tokeep the lastslice'from falling off the pusher. plate.

It will be realizedthat whereasI have described and shownapractical and operative device nevertheless many 'cln ng'es might bemade in size, shape, number and disposition of .parts without departing from the spirit of'my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken-as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than-as limiting me to my specific showing. 1

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

In employing a meat or work carriage'for supporting the'carria-ge for supporting-the work as it is carried across the "face ofthe knife, and in employing the gauge plate against which the work is thrust, whether manually ormechanically, it is importantto support the slice while the slice is being cut. Vereitpossible,which it is not, to have the carriageapproach so close toithe gauge plate that no inter-val islefthetweengauge plate and carriag there would be-no necessity of supporting the slice in thefront' of the: gauge plate. However the mere fact that the gauge plate is adjusted toward andaway fromthe path of the carriageiusures'thatthere will be a space between g: uge plate and carriage. And furthermore, the incre'aseof the opening between the edge of-the gauge plate-and the cutting edge of the-knife, which deter mines the thickness ofthe slicepinsurcsthat there will always be a space between carriage, gauge-plate and knife: at-that point, in which the carriage gives no support. I therefore provide a shelf or support which cooperates'with the carria'ge 'andwhi'ch' is independent, in itssupporting:function, of he position of the gauge plate.

Referringto the figures, it will be clear that the; shelf: G wil-lzunderiieithecedgeofithe carriage at all normal positions of the gauge positions of the gauge plate.

' portion ofthegauge plate,

plate and that therefore no slice or fragment of meat can drop down through the space between carriage and gauge plate. Equally important is the lateral extension Gr of the fiXed-shelfmember G which is formed to hug the connecting edge of the knife at all This insures that the slice, in course of severance, will be supported up to the instant of the final separation of the slice from'the'work. The-portion of the support G which projects to the rear of "the knife supports the slice immedlately followlng severance.

The support at these points prevents partially completed slices and little tail ends of meat from sliding'down aroundthe corner of the carriage and: getting between the front of the carriage andthe knife, and insures the delivery, from the knife edge, of acleanly cut and completely severed slice.

In view ofthe frequentpra'ctice of using vitreous enamel for-carriage andigauge: plate the addition of the-slicesupp'orting shelf is important. The front ofthezcarriagezisnecessarily rounded or oval shaped owing totthe fact'thatthe enamel-will not stick on a sharp corner. This rounding of'theparts would tend to providean opportunityforithe: escape of small bitsof ineat,.partly completed slices and the like wereit notfortheemployment of the shelf or-support;

Also,' the shelf, positioned-as it' is across substantially 'the entire front of :the gauge plate prevents the last slice from falling down between the front ofthe carriage and the gauge plate.

In the use of my devicethe angle G, which extendsacross the m-ajor width of the gauge plate, terminates at the-beginning of'theicut away portionor slot G 'Here-the task of supporting the slice is taken upby-the fixed support G which supports the slice up to the cuttin'ginstant. Itisalways up against the edge of the carriage and also closxly hugs the edge of the knife and supports the slice untilits separation fromthe workis completed. Thus it prevents any fringe of meat from dragging over and prevents the :-'slice or any part of the slice from penetrating or dropping into the space between carriage audknife. Y

'I claim:

1. In-a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means for rotating it, 'a-carriage and means for guiding it along a path across the plane'ofsaidknife, a gauge plate'lying in a plane generally parallel with the 1 path of movement of said carriage,and means for moving it tow-ardand away fromsaid earriage. a" work support in ounted upon and outwardly projecting from'the gauge plate'toward the "carriage, and underlying said carriajge,=ancl an additional w support fixed upon" h rsl icingimachine' nd minder! mgga supports lying at substantially the same horizontal plane, the last mentioned fixed work support being positioned adjacent the cutting edge of the knife, and between the knife axis and the first mentioned work support, the gauge plate being movable in relation to said last mentioned fixed work support.

2. In a slicing machine having arotary knife and means for rotating it, a carriage and means for guiding it along a path across the plane of said knife, a gauge plate lying in a plane generally parallel with the path of movement of said carriage, and means for moving it toward and away from said carriage, a work support mounted upon and outwardly projecting from the gauge plate toward the carriage, and underlying said carriage, and an additional work support fixed upon the slicing machine and underlying a portion of the gauge plate, the two said work supports lying at substantially the same horizontal plane the last mentioned fixed work support being positioned adjacent the cut ting edge of the knife, and between the knife axis and the first mentioned work support, the gauge plate being movable in relation to said last mentioned fixed work support, the edge of the fixed work support farthest from the knife, and facing the first mentioned work support, being bevelled.

3. In a slicing machine having a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a carriage and means for guiding it past the cutting edge of said knife, a gauge plate lying in a plane generally parallel with the path of movement of the carriage, and means for moving it toward and away from the carriage, a work supporting member movable with and outwardly projecting from said gauge plate toward said carriage, and lying in the general plane of the upper supporting surface of said carriage, and extending along a substantial proportion of the width of said gauge plate, but terminating at a point spaced laterally away from the cutting edge of the knife, and an additional work support, normally fixed upon the slicing machine, said fixed work support being positioned in the general horizontal plane of the upper supporting surface of the carriage and being adapted to support the work, and the slices cut therefrom, at the actual zone of cutting engagement of the knife with the work, said fixed work support extending closely adjacent the cutting edge of the knife, and being interposed between the cutting edge of the knife and the end of the first mentioned work support closest to the cutting edge of the knife.

Signed at Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, this 13th day of February, 1929.

WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL. 

